Keith Wattley

Calvin Duncan wins Orleans clerk of court race - Verite News New Orleans Duncan, a political newcomer and former prisoner, defeated incumbent Darren Lombard by a wide margin in Saturday's runoff.

Calvin Duncan, a former prisoner who was wrongly incarcerated for nearly 30 years, wins Orleans clerk of court race

He ran as someone who struggled for years to retrieve his own case records in his bid to prove his innocence

A look back at the moments that brought our community together at last year’s UnCommon Heroes. Join us Nov 1, 1–4 pm, at The Bridge Yard in Oakland as we welcome people returning home from prison and honor Amika Mota & Tinisch Hollins. Learn more: www.uncommonlaw.org/2025-uncommon-heroes

Flyer for the webinar. Click the link in this post for details.

Parole can & should be a meaningful pathway for release. But for too many, it is out of reach.

Join us on Oct 8th, to discuss how to make parole a system that safely reduces prison populations, strengthens families, & promotes public safety.

Register: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Each homecoming is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we invest in both healing and in one another. These moments point us back to what holds us together: community. That’s why we hope you’ll join us on November 1 for UnCommon Heroes. Learn more: www.uncommonlaw.org/2025-uncommon-heroes

UnCommon Heroes returns Nov 1 at The Bridge Yard, Oakland! Your continued support helps make this work possible. Standing with us means standing with the people we serve and makes you a vital part of our mission and this homecoming. RSVP today: uncommonlaw.org/2025-uncommon-heroes.

Darby spent countless hours crafting this guide for those who can’t afford an attorney to help protect their rights. We’re so proud of her and of this vital tool for incarcerated folks.

📢 We’re so excited to announce UnCommon Law’s new FREE handbook: Challenging Your Parole Denial in California State Court! Download the handbook today at www.uncommonlaw.org/s/Challenging-a-Parole-Guide.pdf

As we near the end of May, #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, we’re spotlighting members of our clinical team whose lived experiences and deep commitment to healing guide our work.

A very powerful day yesterday at Lancaster, where meaningful conversations highlighted the impact and critical need for our Home After Harm program in maximum security prisons.

Thank you to everyone who showed up to witness what’s possible when healing replaces harm.

Our 2024 Annual Report is here: a reflection of a year rooted in healing, advocacy, and collective impact. Thank you to all of our advocates and supporters who stood with us and helped strengthen our mission.
Read the full report: https://www.uncommonlaw.org/s/UnCommon-Law-2024-Annual-Report.pdf

Nearly 6,000 false positive opiate tests have impacted thousands of incarcerated people in California prisons.

Read more via @latimes.com
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-29/thousands-of-california-prisoners-falsely-tested-positive-for-opioids-did-it-cost-them-their-freedom

Graph titled: The harms of mass incarceration span generations

If you want to understand who incarceration helps and who it hurts, look at how many people in state prisons today grew up with an incarcerated parent.

A powerful testimony in opposition of SB 356 during the hearing on April 8. Interested in joining our policy advocacy efforts and learning more about these bills? Sign up to receive updates and reportbacks from the Capitol—and learn ways to take action alongside us. https://bit.ly/UCLPolicyAdvoca

Bar graph titled: "Drug test positivity rate for opiates in California prisons" with subhead: "Quest Diagnostics used a different chemical in drug tests from mid-April through July" The bar graph shows that the opiate testing rate was around 6.6% to 6.8% in Jan thru April of 2024, and then spiked to 17.1% in May, 20.5% in June and 17.1% in July when a new chemical was used.

Scandal exposed by UnCommon Law, org that reps ppl in parole cases + has affected clients. They obtained test data showing when Quest Diagnostics used a new chemical for tests, positives jumped 300% across prisons

Quest admitted its chemical switch caused a spike but downplayed the scale of impact.

Revealed: drug tests in California prisons yielded false positives, affecting thousands of people Records suggest Quest Diagnostics erroneously detected opiates. Lawyers say parole requests were jeopardized in the process

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Urge the Senate Public Safety Committee to protect elder parole by OPPOSING SB 286 (Jones) ahead of their vote TOMORROW, APRIL 8. Link to action toolkit: bit.ly/opposesb286

Repost from @curbprisons.bsky.social #ElderlyParole #SocialJustice

As we close out Women’s History Month, we’re honoring Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition—a member-led movement of over 10,000 women and trans people who have been impacted by violence, poverty, and incarceration. #WomensHistoryMonth #PartnersInJustice

Cases like this justifiably spark an emotional response. It's a tragedy that still hurts to this day.

But it's important to remember that even people convicted of violent offenses should not be categorically excluded from release mechanisms.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re proud to share this moment featuring Tammy Johnson—Program Director of Five Keys’ Home Free program and former UnCommon Law client—sharing her story at our UnCommon Heroes event in 2024. #WomensHistoryMonth #UnCommonLaw #FiveKeys #HomeFree

Who else has family or friends impacted by this administration’s outrageous policies?

My Dad told me about this today and I am livid @aoc.bsky.social @sanders.senate.gov

Graph titled: Corrections workers make more money than people working much deadlier jobs

Corrections work isn't among the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the US. But still, the median annual salary is higher than jobs that are much more deadly 🤔

This looks like a country that invests in mass incarceration WAY too much
buff.ly/UMvp9Ma

Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court MEMORANDUM FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY SUBJECT:      Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court Lawyers

I don’t see how, unless our entire profession stands shoulder-to-shoulder in unity, we successfully push back against this effort to break our profession and our democracy.

Cowering & compromising won’t work. He is attacking us for the success of our work.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

One last push for those who have been waiting and unsure whether this is the opportunity for them. This is the last weekend this position will be open at @uncommonlaw.bsky.social. Help drive our policy work to safely bring more folks home from prison. uncommonlaw.bamboohr.com/careers/97

Graph titled: What do victims of violent crime really want?

Harm is real – mass support for mass incarceration is not

buff.ly/mCbZr6D

#NationalCriminalJusticeMonth is a time to spark conversations and drive action toward systemic change, including rethinking parole policies. At UnCommon Law, we believe healing should be at the center of justice. #CriminalJusticeMonth #HealingJustice #TraumaInformedCare

Even the violent crime rate is lower than it was ten years ago.

Pie chart showing that nearly 2 million people are confined nationwide

It's #PiDay – which means it's time for our annual report, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 🥧

Over the last year, US prisons & jails have locked up MORE people, growing the incarcerated population by 2%

But why? We answer that & bust the biggest myths of the carceral system🧵

📢 We're Hiring: Director of Policy and Advocacy 📢
UnCommon Law is looking for a leader to advance parole reform and expand pathways home for incarcerated people.
Apply today: uncommonlaw.bamboohr.com/careers/97
#ParoleReform #PolicyAdvocacy #CriminalJusticeReform #SocialJusticeJobs #NowHiring

Deal reached to end illegal strike by New York state prison workers, governor says New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced an agreement to end a wildcat strike that has roiled the state’s prison system for more than a week.

Allowing COs to throw more people into solitary does not leave anyone better off — and it’s beyond shameful that this negotiation was even on the table.

buff.ly/uhozq4F